Skateboarding already banned in CBD

Kane Smith skates in the Brougham St redevelopment, skateboarders will lose their boards if caught, says the NPDC.

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Skateboarders using New Plymouth's Brougham St redevelopment as a skate park will lose their boards, council warns.

Since officially opening in the weekend the $1million shared-use development has become a popular place with some of the city's skateboarders.

But Carl Whittleston of the New Plymouth District Council said the street furniture was not designed for skateboards and would not last if skateboarders continued to use it to grind.

"If we had designed the area to be less attractive for skateboard stunts, it would simply be less attractive for everyone,'' Mr Whittleston said.

A bylaw is already in place banning skateboarding in the CBD and council enforcement officers, along with police and security guards have promised to confiscate skateboards if talking to boarders doesn't work or if there is repeat offending.

The CBD skateboard ban includes rollerskates, in-line skates, scooters and similar recreational devices.

But New Plymouth skateboarder Boltme said it was probably not skateboarders causing the damage to the seats.

Similar to those found on the coastal walkway, where skateboarding is permitted, Boltme said the damage caused to seats there was caused by weather, not skateboarders.

''If they are talking about damage, cars and bikes have much more potential to cause damage. People just imagine the damage is caused by skateboarders,'' Boltme said.

Since 2008, when the skateboard bylaw was introduced, council has received six complaints about skateboarders and police have seized 19 skateboards.